President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration today is drawing dozens of Madison County residents from political officials, local party fundraisers, school children and just plain folks. All of them leave their hotels this morning to an atmosphere of incredible excitement and frigid temperatures. The latest forecast calls for temperatures in the 20s and a wind chill temperature of 17 degrees at noon.

Among those reported here from Madison County are County Commissioner Bob Harrison, Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom and his wife, Martha, former longtime Madison City Councilwoman Cynthia McCollum, Democratic Party stalwarts Scott and Yolanda McLain and David Smith, owner of Royal Funeral Home.

Students from Grissom High School, Ed White Middle School and St. John's Catholic School are among the students here.

Out on the National Mall Monday, crowds lined up in long waits to see the Lincoln Memorial, whose main stairs were still blocked by the stage from Sunday's "We Are One" concert. "My heart is full," one African-American woman from New York gasped to new friends from Huntsville when she saw the giant statue of the 16th president for the first time.